Give More Than You Get
Would you show up to a party without bringing anything? A bottle of wine? A card? No.
Well, business and networking should be thought of in the same regard. It’s important to keep in mind the value of relationships. We’ve all heard the phrase, “it’s a two-way street.” And that is absolutely true in business.
Providing feedback, mentoring, participating in speaking engagements, sponsoring an event, volunteering, joining a board – these are all ways to get involved. Find a way to add value and give back.
I promise you not only will it feel good, but karma is a wonderful thing.
We all are selfish to some degree. Let’s be honest – we have something to sell. Rather, offer. You’d better hope that if you are in a pure selling role, you are also giving referrals and making introductions rather then just calling and asking for business. Success will never come knocking at your door if this is your process.
It may not be as easy as it sounds. Some people might think, “what do I have to offer the CEO of XYZ company I am meeting with?”
Believe it or not, whether we are one year into our career or 25+ years into our journey, we all have something to offer one another. Here are just few suggestions:
- Offer to attend an event with someone and introduce them to people you know in your network.
- Offer some volunteer work or an hour of free consulting to potentially win the business.
- Share an article, a tweet, a helpful book that you read that you feel will be helpful to that individual or group.
People want to do business with people who care. And it’s all the little things in life that add up. It takes time so be patient with networking. We all start out somewhere. I am proud to say networking, connecting and relationships led to the successful exit of my first company, and now my second company – Be Group.
So, give more than you get, be prepared to tell people how they can help you, and just be yourself.